Bad apples or rotten orchards? Public attitudes of interactions with police and the role of political ideology

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the ideological gaps across a range of policing interactions with the public. Design/methodology/approach In a survey distributed via Mechanical Turk (MTurk) ( n = 979), the authors explore the role that respondents' political ideology plays in the agreement of 13 aspects of policing services, their demeanor and decorum. Findings Attitudes toward policing interactions are slightly positive. Conservatives steadfastly hold positive attitudes about police. Liberals vacillate from negative to positive attitudes across the 13 policing interaction statements. Social implications Although small, there is an ideological consensus that police adequately protect citizens and are knowledgeable about the law. Originality/value Even at record lows of public confidence in the police, some subsections of the sample, such as conservatives, firmly hold positive attitudes about police. The unwavering support for police by conservatives continues across the multi-item measure of policing interactions, whereas liberals illustrated less uniformity in their attitudes.